Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1887-12-24
CHARITY AT HOME.
A CHANCE FOR IT IN THE METROP-
OILS OF THE COUNTRY.
The Great Destitution of the Family of an
Honest New York Shoemaker Wife and
Eight Children in the Depths of Poverty
Other Instances of the Same Character.


Eight Children in the Depths of Poverty
Other Instances of the Same Character.
ICopvrt0hted. 1ss7.I
The bleak days of the year are on us. The
cold nights, the sweeping winds, the chilly
sensations suggesting overcoats and wraps
the windows filling up with presents for the
holidays, fat turkeys in the market, venson
on the hook, all the wintry reminders of ma
lures power and society's swim, make them
selves felt and call before us visions of the
bright and the dark of other years. As a
member of society I am puzzled
Yesterday an honest shoemaker awoke
from his uneasy sleep and found his wife
sitting on the floor, wretched and helpless.
By her side were seven dirty little children,
and at her breast an eighth. The cold air
whistled through the barren room. There
was no fire. no box-stove, no wood, no coal,
no matches. There was no bread, no butter
no meat, no milk There was no clothing,
except the thin raiment they severally wore.
There was no chair, no table. Everything
was gone, little by little, to the pawnshop,
and now, with nothing to sell, nothing to
pledge, these wretched parents looked upon
the pinched and chilled faces of their hungry
little ones and knew not where to go.
1t would be folly to attempt to picture that
scene Desolation, absolute and supreme
smothered them all.
Well, this father hungry and wan him
self, was frenzied when he saw the pitiable
pleading look of his wife, and heard the cry
ing of his babies. For six weeks he had
vainly sought for work.
His tools were gone-up the spout.
His friends were somewhere all friends go.
His money was gone-down with the bank.
Desperately he rushed into the cold and
biting wind. He begged aid from passer,
and was repulsed. The policeman told him
to 'get on He went to the grocer's for
bread, and was laughed at. He tried the
station-house, and was ordered out. He
passed dry goods store, and, hoping against
hope, turned back and asked for work. Get
out!" was all he got.
For all society cared he might have died
on the street.
He passed another store. At the sides of
the door were draped three pieces Of silk.
Quick as flash he grabbed them and ran
ran with all his might down the strickland
then society knew him.
stop thiefp' cried the shopman.
Rap! rap! went the peelers club.
And in less time than it takes to tell it, So
ciety was on the alert and the man was in
its eye.
Soon he was in its grasp, and burly pO-
liceman knocked him down with his club
took the piece of silk and the man with it to
the station-house.
Whats your nameT
John Christ"
"Where do you live"
"On Eighth avenue"
"Married?"
Eyes"
"Children?'
eight, sir" and here the poor fellow
broke down. The thought of his suffering
wife, the memory of the eight starving little
ones overcame him, and, forgetting his
cracked head his weary limbs, his own
parched throat and famished stomach, he
yielded to the hot and scading tears and
said: "Oh, sir, for Gods sake, do what you
will with me, but send at least some bread
to them"
The sergeant coughed, bit the handle of
his pen, blew his nose, cleared his throat,
and sent him to his cell.
There he stayed until the next day.
But his wife-well she waited for John to
come home, but he didn't.
And the baby-well, she held fiabby nip
pie in her mouth and sucked and sucked foI
the milk, which no longer came
And the children-well, they cried all day,
sometimes because they were cold, but prin-
cipally because they were hungry.
Perhaps you think this was in Lancashire,
England2 Oh, no; it was right here in New
York-and is yet.
The mans name was Christ.
You may have heard it before. 1t is the
same as the Saviour's. That's one reason
remember it. He lived ON Eighth avenue,
and, with his suffering wife and starving
children, was taken before Judge Ford, of
Jefferson Market, a kind-hearted magistrate,
who sees this sort of thing every day of his
life.
Judge Ford looked at Christ, and bet he
pitied him, but what could he do? Christ
had gone for the silk, so society must go for
him. Ford sent the case before the Special
Sessions, where full board dispenses law to
rich and poor, and don't care button for
any man. What will be done with Christ is
more than l can say. At the. worst he will
be sent to prison, where he will have three
square meals every day and at least one
warm suit of clothes.
Think of that.
What Of his family?
Oh, that's another thing.
suppose they will starve
They certainly will, unless some over
good people send them money, food and
clothes. 1 wish they would. 1t wouldn
make so much sensation, perhaps, as SUBJ
scription to the women of Africa or the
heather of the Nile, but it would be doing
good to the poor and lowly, and obtain the
recognition of the other Christ, who said,
some l 800 years ago, that if you gave cup
of cold water only to one of His little ones,
He would remember it when He attained
His power.
Now, here is chance
Do good to this Christ and the greater
Christ will remember it-just when you
need it.
Will you?
AS strolled down the street this afternoon
| met crowds and crowds of ladies dressed
within an inch of their lives, and thought of
Mrs. Christ and her baby.
.A.lo